Swing joint



Sept. 14 1926. 1,599,907

w. MAcGREGoR SWING JOINT Filed July 20 1925 Patented Sept. 14, 1926.

UNITED STATES WALLACE MACGREGOR, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

SWING JOINT.

Application led July 20, 1925. Serial No. 44,742.

This invention relates tok an im roved joint for coupling one pipe to anot er so that one of the plpes may be moved freely in horizontal and vertical planes and the joint is therefore made particularly adaptable for use in connection with fire hydrants, although it may be put toother uses as well.

One of the objectsof the invention is to provide a joint of the character described in which the joint members are soconstructed and arranged that there is little or no obstruction to the free flow of liquid through the joint.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved 'oint of the character described which is ree from packing, there being especially constructed and arranged joint members providing a metal to metal bearing and insuring a leak-proof joint which is suitable for use in conducting liquids under high pressure, and in great volume.

Another object of the invention is to provide a point of the character described which has an especially constructed floating metal sleeve arranged to provide for an effective and comparatively large bearing area rbetween the joint members regardless of the relative positions of said joint members whereby a tight and leak-proof joint is provided for and free movement of the joint members is insured.

A further. object of the invention is to provide a joint of the character described which when used in connection with fire hydrants and the like wherein water under ljigh pressure is passed through the joint to a nozzle,

will permit of an easy and effective manipuy lation of the nozzle by a single attendant or operator.

With the above mentioned and other object-s in view, the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and set forth in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction within the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 represents a vertical sectional view of the joint of my invention as when it is used in connection with a fire hydrant.

.Fig 2 represents a sectional view with the joint taken on the plane of line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Eig. 3 represents a perspective view of ythe joint of the invention as applied to a lire hydrant. The embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawing is incorporated with .a tire hydrant and is constructed so that the nozzle attached to one of the joint members is Capable of a 3600' movement in a horizontal plane and a 75o movement in a vertical plane, provision being made for a 1()O movement vertically below the horizontal anda 650 movement vertically above the horizontal. However, these extents of adjustment may be varied as desired dependent upon the use to which the joint of the invention is to be put. adapted for connecting a stationary pipe and a movable pipe, or better, connecting a pipe which is to be swung both horizontally and vertically with a pipe which is to be fixed. The joint comprises asomewhat T-shaped casing generally designated 1, the head portion of which casing` is open at both ends and the shank portion yof which is open at its lower end, there being a short curved passage 2 joining the head and shank portions. At the lower end of the shank portion of the casing' is a frustro-conical seat 3 and in the head portion of the casingl is a frustro- -conical seat 4 which is disposed at right angles to the seat 3, the seat 3 having its longitudinal axis disposed in a vertical plane and the seat 4 having its longitudinal axis disposed in a horizontal plane. The seat 4 is provided between its ends with an opening 5 which permits of communication oi' the interior of the head portion of the casing with the upper end of the passage 2.

A tubular joint member 6 is adapted to extend into the lower end oi the casin g 1 and is provided with a frustro-conical portion 7 adapted to bear upon the frustroconical seat 3. The joint member 6 is provided at its outer end with an annular laterally extending flange 8 which provides for fastening the joint member to a stationary pipe or conduit, not shown. A sectional clamping ring 9 is arranged to surround the joint member 6 and is removably fastenedto a flange 10 on the lower end of the casing by means oi screw bolts 11. The inner face of the rino' 9 is provided with annular projections 12 and 13. The projection 12 is adapted to en- Essentially the joint is conic:l portion T tivo members together7 compi a swing;

, ,i ioint ot the yp embodied in inv U. Si.

"tiers w"atent jj* Xo. 1,509,562, ranted Sent. 192ilior rotatable pipe joint. Vlfhis joint rrangement provides vfor tree rotation ot the casing' 1 on the tubular joint member (5, through 3G00 horniontally. The casing is rovided vfith an apertured ear le adapted to have a handle 16 inserted through it, ivhich handle provides for turning` ol: the easing` 1. The lovver joint free from paching, the metal to metal bearing beingl such as to insure a leali-proof joint in all conditions of use thereof.

The upper joint is of special construction to provide for the connection With the casing 1 of a pipe or nozzle which is to be moved vertically, 'for example a lire nozzle. This upper joint comprises a trustro-eonical horizontally disposed joint member 1T mounted in the head portion ot the casing;` 1 and .vhich is surrounded by and has a Working; fit in a ti'usti'o-conical 'floating sleeve 18. The sleeve has a Working litl against the rustro-conical seat 4 and one or its pur poses is to compensate for the loss ot bearing area caused by providing a relatively large transverse passage 19 through the bearing member 1S. The bearing men'iber 1T and sleeve 1S are held in place by means of a clamping plate Q which has on its inner face an annular projection 21 adapted to engage a similar annular projection on one end of the head of the casing 1. Ry means of screws 3 which are inserted through the plate Q0 and turned into sere-.v threaiiled openings 2l in the smaller end o'l the rustro-conical member 17, the plate removably held in place. The projections 21 and 2Q space the plate 2O from the adjacent end ot' the casing' 1 and meml er 1i' and define a lubricant chamber 2:3 ivhieh in communication with a lubrica At goclvet formed in the smaller end ot the member 1T. The plate has an opening- 2T Which r )vides tor the attachment ot a grease cup. not shovvn, to supply lubricant to the pocket 2G and chamber 25. Lubricant ivill be directed rom the chamber Q so as to lubricate the Working laces of the member 17, sleeve 1S and the seat l. To adjustr the member 1T and sleeve 1S to compensate for ivear. the plate QG may be removed and the projection 21 filed aivay. following which the plate is fitted bach in place, and the screws 223 tightened to brine` the parts into proper seat With one another.

t the other end of the member 1T is a squared proj -i tion 28 on which an operatilnf h er s nient oll t turned.

vfiih vertically elongated openingsl f3() and 'lhe opening St) registers vvith the screw l verse passage 19 and vvith an elongated ,f casiiml E. The passage 1f) is i'lared and enlarged as at 5l, at the end thereof `which isters with the opening o. The o ,ieninfar s ot' less length or diameter vertically, than the opening' 31 an(Y Ythe flared or enlai-fred end I: l ot' the passage 1*.) is of greater h or diameter vertically than the openng el, and the openingr 5515 is of considerably greater length or diameter vertically, than the opening 30, to insure free iloiv at all positions or joint.

A short pipe or what might be termed a tubular connecting member 35. has an externally threaded inner end flo which screwed into tl e opening '32, the end ot' this pipe being screwed tiprjl'it aggfainst the shoulder 37 provided at the inner end oli the thre opening The pipe HCIQV OL). projects through the openings Si() and 552i and on turning' of the member 1T is permitted vertical movement in said openingfs fill and 33. @n its outer end the pipe provided vwith threads and an annular llange ill) whereby a lire noz'zle or other pipe or conduit which to be moved Vwith the pipe 3.5. may be connected thereto.

The formation ot' the large intake end "l-lot the passage 19 decreases the bearing area oit' the member 1T and il said member 1T were permitted to bear unen the sie-ar `'le the reduced bearing art-a would probably be insutlieient to prevent leakage. For this reason the sleeve 1S is employed. said sleeve serving` to increase the bearing area so that.

the vvill be leak-proof at all times,` in lf po; tions ol adjustment. Then the o.) in the position shown in Figi'. 1

ent both upwardly and downwardly, on the lever Q9 to rotate the i 'i .in a clocliivise direction7 the n.pe 35 `vill be elevated. It the trictional engagement between the members 1T and 1S is iusu'illcieut to cause the. latter to move7 the pipe ivill engage the sleeve 1S at the upper end -l-0 ot the opening; 23a). he'lore the pipe has been moved upwardly to its lull extent, and thereby causes the Sleeve 1S Vto rotate as does the member 1T. This movement of the member 1T brings the loiver side @t1 ot' the passage 19 close to the lower sidev ot the opening 33 of the casing 1 and moves the lower end or side 42 of the opening 31 but slightly towards the end and this leaves a t-ial portion as an ex irovided in the head portion of tension of the bearing face on the lower side of the member 17, making a comparatively large bearing face between the seat 4 and member 17 to insure against leakage. The upper end 44 of the opening 31 does not -move past a oint in registration with the upper end ofp the opening 5 when the member is moved upwardly to its maximum extent and therefore' no obstruction to the free passage of li uid through the passage 19 is provided. n the lowering of the member 35 the reverse operation takes place.

To provide for holding the pipe 35 in adjusted position an arcuate guide mem.- ber is pivoted as at 46 on the member 35 and passes through a friction clamp 47 provided on the casing 1. On loosening the screw 48 ormin `a art of the clamp 47, the member 45 will slide freely througir the clamp, the screw 48 being tightened to hold the member 45 and pipe 35 in adjusted position.

The two joint members arranged at right angles to one another and connected by an unobstructed passage, both joints being free from packing and providing metal to metal bearing faces, provide a reliable, compact and efficient swing joint device for coupling pipes or the like together So that one of the pipes may be moved in both horizontal and vertical planesas, for example, as is required in fire hydrants. vThis construction is particularly adapted for fire hydrants in that one man may easily move the nozzle and by means of the friction clam 36, may clamp the nozzle in any position to which it ma be adjusted.

The construction of t joint is such that there may be provided a comparatively large intake opening in the joint member 17 in order to prevent obstruction to the free passa-ge of liquid through the joint member, without sacrifice as to the bearing area of the joint members. The register'- ing openings through the various elements of the upper joint may be of the same diameter in a horizontal plane but must be made of different diameters in a vertical plane to provide for the advantageshere-y inbefore described. The unobstructed passages of the joint prevent swirling of the liquid as it passes through the joint and thereby prevent resistances being set up which would retard free iow and interferer Vith the free movement of the joint mem- One of the advantages of the invention resides in the provision for ready and easy adjustment of the parts to compensate for wear thereon. The adjustment necessary to compensate for Wear on the parts does not require the complete disassembling'of the apparatus, partial disassembling only being necessary.

a tubular joint member engaged with the casing, registering with one of said openings and adapted for connection with a pipe or conduit, a joint member rotatably mounted Within the casing and having a passage extendin transversely therethrough between its en s, which passage is in registration with said openings in the casing, a sleeve having a working t interiorly of the casing and within which sleeve said rotatable joint member has a working fit, which sleeve is provided with openings on opposite sides thereof between its ends, which openings are in registration with the first named openings and a tubular member carried by the rotatable joint member with one end thereof in registration with the passage in the joint member, said tubular member extending outwardl through certain` registering openings in t e sleeve casing.k

2. A joint of the character described comprising a casing having spaced openings,y a tubular joint member engaged with the casing, registering with one of the openings and adapted for connection with a pipe or conduit, a joint member rotatably mounted within the casing and having a passage extending transversely therethrough between its ends, which passage is infregistration with ysaid openin s in the casing, a sleeve having a working t interiorly of the casing and within which sleeve said rotatable joint member has a working lit, which sleeve is provided with openings on opposite sides thereof between its ends, which open` ings are in registration with the irst named o enings and a tubular member carried by t e rotatable joint member with one end thereof in registration with the passage in the joint member, said tubular member extending outwardly through certain regis` tering openings in the sleeve and casing, said certain openings in the casing and sleeve and the intake end of the passage through the rotatable joint member being vertically elongated, the length of the opening in the casing being greater than the length of the opening of the sleeve which is in registration therewith and the length of the other opening in the sleeve being less than the length of the opening at the intake end of the passage of said rotatable joint member.

3. A joint of they character described comprising a substantially T-shaped casing having an opening provided between the ends of the head portion thereof, a tubular joint member engaged with the shank portion of the easing and adapted tor connection with a stationary pipe or conduit, means for rotatably joining said joint member and shank portion ot the casing. a joint member rotatably mounted within the head portion ol the casing and having a passage extending transversely therethrough between its ends. which passage is in registration at its ends with the shank portion of the casing and said opening in the easing. a sleeve having a working tit interiorly of the head portion ot' the casing and within which sleeve said rotatable oint member has a w rking lit, which sleeve is provided with openings on opposite sides thereot between its entrs, one et which last named openings is in registration with the passage and opening in the casingl and the otherI ot which openings is in registration with the other e d ot the passage and the shank portion ot the 'asino and a tubular member carried by the rotatable joint member with one end thereof in registration with the passage in the joint member, said tubular ineinoer extending outwardly through the registering openings in the sleeve and head ot the casing, said rotatable joint member, sleeve and seat for the latter, being ot' trustro-eonical torni.

ll. joint ot the Character described comprisingl a substantially T-shaped casing having` an opening` provided between the ends ot the head portion thereof, a tubular joint member engaged with the shank portion ot the casing and adapted 'tor connection with a stationary pipe or conduit, means tor rotatably joining said joint inember and shank portion ot the easing. a joint member rotatably mounted within the head portion ot the casing and having a passage extending transversely therethrough between its ends. which passage in registration at its ends with the shank portion ot' tlie easing` and said opening in the easing, a sleeve ha 'ing a working tit interior-ly ot the head portion of the easing and within whica sleeve said rotatable joint member has a working tit, which sleeve is provided with openings on opposite sides thereo't between its ends, one ot which last named openings is in registration with the passage and opening in the easingand the other oit which openings in registration with the other end of the passage and the shank portion ot the easing, a tubular member carried by the rotatable joint member with one end thereof in registration with the passage in the joint member, said tubular member extending outwardly through the registering openings in the sleeve and head ot the casing. said rotatable joint member, sleeve and seat tor the latter, being of t`rustro-conical form and means at one end ot the head ot the casing t'or adjustably maintaining the trustro-conical meml'iers in properly seated position.

5. A. swing joint oit the character described comprising a casing, means tor rotatably joining the casing with a pipe or conduit, said casing having a trustrofconical seat. there being an opening intermediate the ends olE the trustr0conical seat, there being openings on opposite sides of the casing.y a trustro-conieal sleeve engaging against said trllstro-conical seat. which sleeve is provided on oiposite sides with openings registering with said openings in the casing, a trustro-conical joint member rotatable and having a working fit within the sleeve, which joint member is provided with a passage extending transversely therethrough. the ends o't' which passage reg tu' with the openings in opposite sides ot' tie sleeve and a pipe carried by the rotatable joint member with one end thereof in registration with the passage through the joint member` which pipe extends outwardly through the registering openings ot' the sleeve and casing and movable 'freely vertically within said registering openings.

(3. joint meniber ot the character described comprising a casing having spaced openings therein, means tor connecting a liquid delivery conduit with one ot the openings of the easing. a joint member rotatably mounted within the casing and having a passage extemling through it. which passage is in registration with said openings in the casing, a sleeve having a working fit interiorly of the easing and within which sleeve said rotatable joint member has a working tit7 which sleevev is provided with openings on opposite sides thereof. which openings are in registratitm with the First named openings and a tubular member carried by the rotatable joint member with one end thereotl in registration with the passage in the joint member. which tubular member extends outwardly through certain registering openings in the sleeve and cas-intr.

WALLACE MACG iEGOR.

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